The agricultural and floricultural industries are continuously searching for systems and methods that maximize the use of often limited space available for growing, processing, or storing various agricultural or floricultural products or containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,704 issued to Winslow describes a device for loading and hoisting banana bunches for easy transportation and space-efficient storage of the products. U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,482 issued to Duncan describes a method and apparatus for storing tobacco inside a barn from the top downward for curing. Both Winslow and Duncan, however, describe relatively complex systems suitable for use with only one particular agricultural product, i.e., bananas and tobacco, respectively. Thus, these systems lack versa tile utility in various agricultural or floricultural structures available today, for example, a greenhouse used for growing various agricultural or floricultural products. Most greenhouses are at least 12- to 16-feet high as measured between the ground and their gutters, and the space high above the ground inside a greenhouse is typically wasted as dead space.
A need exists for a versatile system and method for lifting and supporting various agricultural or floricultural products at a desired elevation above the ground, to make better use of limited spaces available for growing, processing, or storing the products. Preferably, such system and method entail a simple structure, which is easily adaptable to various sites, including inside of a greenhouse. Further preferably, such system and method require only easily obtainable materials and parts to achieve low manufacturing and operation costs.